An insightful conversation with Junie, Clinical Psychologist at Inlight Psychology

Interview completed and written by Ashleigh Cohen, UNSW psychology undergraduate on a 3-month internship at Inlight Psychology.

Junie Johnson is a clinical psychologist at Inlight Psychology in Bondi Junction. She is a highly attuned and skilled relational therapist, with an ability to connect quickly with her clients and team members alike.

Junie works primarily with adults, as well as younger children and adolescents. She utilises Schema therapy, DBT, CBT, ACT and trauma, relational and attachment informed therapy. Junie has a Masters in Clinical Psychology from UTS.

Ashleigh Cohen: As part of my internship here at Inlight Psychology, I had the chance to sit down with Junie, a clinical psychologist, for a casual, Q&A-style chat about her path into psychology, how she works with clients, and her thoughts on everything from therapy relationships to personality. What started as a set of prepared questions quickly turned into a rich, thoughtful, and surprisingly personal conversation about what it means to support people in this work and why so much of it begins with being deeply present.

Q: What got you into psychology?

Junie Johnson: I’ve always been super curious about people and psychology. I was that kid who was constantly asking “why?”, just always questioning things. But I think the deeper reason is more personal. I’ve had close relationships with people who’ve faced significant mental health challenges, and being alongside them opened my eyes to how isolating and difficult that experience can be, especially without consistent support. What struck me most was how powerful it was when someone truly listened to them, without judgment or trying to fix things—just being present. That experience shaped the kind of therapist I want to be - someone who offers genuine understanding, validation, and care. I’ve seen how much it can mean for someone to feel truly heard, and while that doesn’t change everything, it can make a meaningful difference in how a person carries their story.

Ash: That really resonates. I’m volunteering at Lifeline at the moment and it’s so much about that—just holding space, not giving advice, which is so different to how usual social interactions can go. We can be so quick to jump in with solutions and not create the space for the other person to just feel heard.

Junie: Exactly. People often think psychology is about fixing, but it’s actually about listening and holding. That’s what really matters.

Q: What does a first session with you look like?

Junie: My goal is always to make the client feel as comfortable as possible, especially if it’s their first time in therapy. Therapy can feel really daunting, so I try not to be too “clinical”. I want them to feel like we’re equals, that they have power in the room. I try to be warm, validating, and authentic, and bring in a bit of myself so they get a sense of who I am too.

Ash: That’s so lovely. Even just talking to you now, I can already get a sense of your therapeutic approach. It’s so relaxed.

Junie: (laughs) Yeah! This is basically what therapy is like. Very conversational, very human.

Q: If someone came in and said, “I’m really nervous to be here and open up”, how would you respond?

Junie: I’d want to really honour that as it’s such a brave thing to say out loud. I’d thank them for being honest about how they’re feeling and just let them know that it’s okay to be nervous. It’s totally normal, especially for a first session, and there’s absolutely no judgment. I know it can be incredibly vulnerable walking into a room with a stranger and being expected to share difficult or painful things. I would want to reassure them that I am truly not judging them. That’s just not the mindset I bring into the space. Therapy isn’t about evaluating someone, it’s about walking alongside them with curiosity and compassion.

Ash: Yes, the “no judgment” approach is so important. I feel like people worry that the therapist will silently judge them for what they say.

Junie: I’ve heard that a lot, but therapy is actually the opposite of that. It’s about meeting people where they are, not where we think they should be. It’s really about connection and understanding, not assumptions or expectations. 

Q: What would you say to someone who feels hopeless about ever being in a healthy relationship?

Junie: I wouldn’t rush to reassure them. I’d want to understand that hopelessness more deeply. What does being in a healthy relationship mean to them and what kind of relationship are we talking about? Romantic, yes, but also friendships, family, work relationships? Therapy often explores all of these domains, because relationships shape so much of our emotional world. Sometimes, hopelessness isn’t just about the presence or absence of a partner, but it can be tied to deeper feelings of disconnection, loneliness, or a sense of not being fully seen or valued in relationships more generally. It may carry echoes of earlier experiences, times when connection felt uncertain, or where someone didn’t feel as emotionally safe or supported as they needed. But rather than making assumptions, I’d want to gently explore what that emotion is trying to communicate, and how it connects to their sense of self-worth and what they believe is possible for them in relationships of all kinds.

Ash: It’s so layered, right? The question sounds simple, but underneath, there’s usually this whole web of past experiences and unmet needs.

Junie: Exactly. I’d also want to understand what that hopelessness is trying to communicate to us. Emotions always have a function. Is it trying to protect them from disappointment? Is it asking them to grieve something they’ve lost? Is it keeping them from putting themselves out there again? These feelings can tell us a lot about what they need and from there, we can start gently working toward hope again.

Ash: I love that reframe. It’s not about forcing someone to be hopeful; it’s about understanding what their emotions are asking of them.

Q: What would you say to clients who feel stuck in repeating the same patterns again and again in their lives, even though they really wish things would change?

Junie: I’d want to explore where that stuckness is coming from. What are the expectations they’re holding for themselves? Are they being too hard on themselves? I always say we can’t change what we don’t understand. So, before we start trying to throw skills at the problem, we need to understand it and once you build awareness, you can start making different choices.

Ash: I feel like self-compassion is such a big piece that people forget. We’re so quick to expect immediate change but it takes time. There’s unlearning, relearning, and a lot of back and forth.

Junie: Exactly. It’s not a straight line. It’s messy, and that’s okay!

Q: Do you think people’s personalities can change over time?

Ash: Speaking of change, do you see personality as something that’s fixed or something that can shift?

Junie: I do think it can change. There are definitely deep-rooted schemas and patterns from childhood, but I absolutely believe in the capacity for change. The thing is, those personality structures often served a protective function, so shifting them requires building safety first. You can’t just tear down someone’s defences without first understanding why they were needed—and, when the time is right, helping to heal the reasons they were built in the first place.

Ash: That’s such an interesting way to look at it, that their way of behaving was serving a protective purpose, but now it might be holding them back.

Junie: Totally. A lot of therapy is helping people realise that they’re no longer in the same environment they were in when those defences were first built, and so it’s safer for them to let some of those walls down.

Q: How do you explain therapy to someone who’s never been before?

Junie: I think people assume therapy is only for when you're in crisis, but really, it’s just a safe space to reflect, to build awareness, and to understand how your past experiences shape the way you move through the world. You don’t need a big problem to come to therapy. It’s about building insight into your patterns, your relationships, and how you relate to yourself.

Ash: Yes! I feel like if more people went to therapy before they hit a crisis point, they’d be so much more prepared to deal with hard moments. It’s not just for when things are falling apart, it’s for everyone.

Q: And finally, what do you hope clients get out of working with you?

Junie: In the first session, I just want them to feel safe, heard, and understood. Long term, I want them to be able to reflect on their own patterns, to kind of become their own therapist, in a way. Therapy doesn’t mean your life is suddenly perfect, but ideally, you leave with tools and awareness to navigate things better.

Ash: That’s such a beautiful way to put it. The goal is empowerment, not dependency.

Junie: Exactly.

Ash: I walked away from this conversation feeling inspired, curious, and honestly more grounded in why I want to be in this field. Junie’s approach reminded me that therapy isn’t about having the answers. It’s about being human with someone, holding space, and building something together.

---

INLIGHT PSYCHOLOGY | BONDI JUNCTION

Junie Johnson is offering therapy at Inlight Psychology, located in the heart of Bondi Junction. Our team sees clients from all over Sydney, the eastern suburbs and surrounds, and more remotely via telehealth. We see a variety of presentations, including anxiety, mood disorders, adjustment difficulties, relationship and interpersonal issues, emotion regulation difficulties, anger, personality difficulties, health issues, etc. Our team has a very strong relational and attachment focused approach. This means that we place great importance on having a strong attunement to the therapeutic relationship and client sense of safety in the therapy room, which we believe is key to a positive experience in therapy.

All our psychologists have tertiary qualifications in Clinical Psychology, as a minimum.

Inlight Psychology offers therapy in-person or via telehealth/video call.

If you would like to learn more about the team at Inlight Psychology, click here.

If you would like to book an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact Inlight Psychology on (02) 8320 0566 or contact@inlightpsychology.com.au.